System and method to anonymously test for proximity of mobile users without revealing individual phase space coordinates
First Claim
1. A method for assisting a first and second tracking service in anonymizing preference data associated with a first and second user in a phase space, said first and second tracking service tracking preferences of said first and second user respectively, said preference data being defined by one or more parameters, said method comprising the steps of:
- a. receiving a request for function evaluation from each tracking service, said request identifying a parameter to be transmitted and a corresponding function to be used for evaluating said identified parameter;
b. transmitting a confirmation to each tracking service indicating transmission of said identified parameter is expected;
c. receiving said identified parameter from each tracking service;
d. evaluating said corresponding function based on said received parameter from each tracking service;
e. transmitting said evaluated result to each tracking service; and
wherein steps a through e are repeated for each additional parameter required to define preference data and corresponding function such that each of said service'"'"'s receives function evaluated results for each parameter separately and utilizes such evaluated results to locally estimate proximity between said first and second user in said phase space without revealing their preference data.
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Abstract
Described is a way for computing proximity (location-based proximity or preference-based proximity) between mobile wireless subscribers (who use different services) without either divulging their location/preference to the other (preservation of privacy). Privacy is kept by providing location/preference information in steps, along with an evaluation function. The services receive partial results and then locally compute the final result, or proximity. The term proximity includes not just physical proximity but also multi-dimensional data such as preference profiles and vectors (e.g., an affinity for baseball, apple pie, and ballroom dancing).
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for assisting a first and second tracking service in anonymizing preference data associated with a first and second user in a phase space, said first and second tracking service tracking preferences of said first and second user respectively, said preference data being defined by one or more parameters, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. receiving a request for function evaluation from each tracking service, said request identifying a parameter to be transmitted and a corresponding function to be used for evaluating said identified parameter;
b. transmitting a confirmation to each tracking service indicating transmission of said identified parameter is expected;
c. receiving said identified parameter from each tracking service;
d. evaluating said corresponding function based on said received parameter from each tracking service;
e. transmitting said evaluated result to each tracking service; and
wherein steps a through e are repeated for each additional parameter required to define preference data and corresponding function such that each of said service'"'"'s receives function evaluated results for each parameter separately and utilizes such evaluated results to locally estimate proximity between said first and second user in said phase space without revealing their preference data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for assisting a first and second tracking service in anonymizing preference data associated with a first and second user in a phase space, said first and second tracking service tracking preferences of said first and second user respectively, said preference data being defined by one or more parameters, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. computer readable program code aiding in receiving a request for function evaluation from each tracking service, said request identifying a parameter to be transmitted and a corresponding function to be used for evaluating said identified parameter;
b. computer readable program code aiding in transmitting a confirmation to each tracking service indicating transmission of said identified parameter is expected;
c. computer readable program code aiding in receiving said identified parameter from each tracking service;
d. computer readable program code evaluating said corresponding function based on said received parameter from each tracking service;
e. computer readable program code aiding in transmitting said evaluated result to each tracking service; and
wherein computer readable program code of steps a through e are repeated for each additional parameter required to define preference data and corresponding function such that each of said service'"'"'s receives function evaluated results for each parameter separately and utilizes such evaluated results to locally estimate proximity between said first and second user in said phase space without revealing their preference data.
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7. A method for anonymous proximity detection between a first and second mobile user, said first and second mobile users being tracked by a first and second location tracking service (LTS) respectively, said method as implemented by each LTS comprising the steps of:
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a. transmitting, to a third party, a first location coordinate along with a corresponding first function to evaluate;
b. receiving a first result from said third party, said first result based upon an evaluation of said first function with said first location coordinate;
c. transmitting, to said third party, a second location coordinate along with a second corresponding function to evaluate;
d. receiving a second result from said third party, said second result based upon an evaluation of second function with said second location coordinate; and
e. computing a measure of distance based upon said received first and second results, said computed distance providing each user with an indication of proximity with respect to the other user. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An anonymous function evaluation service (AFES) comprising:
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a. an interface communicating with various tracking services or wireless service providers (WSPs) and receiving parameters and corresponding functions, said parameters associated with one or more users;
b. a task list storing said functions to be evaluated on received data;
c. a data cache storing said received parameters to be processed;
d. a function evaluation engine evaluating mathematical function(s) on parameters; and
e. a task manager operatively linked with said task list, data cache, and function evaluation engine, said task manager;
(i) receiving parameters and corresponding functions from said interface;
(ii) sending said functions and parameters to task list and data cache respectively;
(iii) retrieving said functions from data cache; and
(iv) communicating with function evaluation engine and sending results of said function evaluation engine back to said interface for forwarding values to requesting services. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification